Metal News for January 17, 2004
Last updated on October 7, 2025 at 6:57 AM ET
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Hot Topics
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14 news articles posted on this day.
Headline News
Obituary To Reform
Legendary Florida death metallers OBITUARY are in the process of reforming with a view towards releasing a new CD in late 2004 or early 2005. "[Drummer] Donald [Tardy], [guitarist] Allen [West] and I have been working on some new stuff and are thinking about a new album," singer John Tardy told BLABBERMOUTH.NET. "We are just getting started and I know [Donald] has talked to [ex-OBITUARY guitarist] Trevor [Peres] about it, too. Right now we have no timeline or record deal set up, but we are writing songs. If all goes well, [the reunion] would be with all 'original' members [John, Donald, Allen, Trevor and bassist Frank Watkins]."
Although the reformed OBITUARY would likely perform select live shows before and after the recording of a new studio album, there is no truth to the reports that the band will make an appearance at the Sun N' Steel festival in Tampa in early March. "I don't know anything about a Sun N' Steel show...never heard of it," John said.
Formed in 1984 as EXECUTIONER (later shortened to XECUTIONER), OBITUARY are widely considered to be one of the most influential and groundbreaking bands in the death metal genre. After releasing several successful albums in the late Eighties/early Nineties (including the classic 1989 debut "Slowly We Rot" and its equally punishing 1990 follow-up, "Cause of Death"), the band announced their breakup, with John Tardy's disinterest in touring apparently a major factor, according to the Internet heavy metal encyclopedia BNR Metal Pages. Trevor Peres has since started CATASTROPHIC, while Donald Tardy joined Andrew W.K.'s band some time ago.
Spineshank Seeking New Singer
SPINESHANK have launched the search for a new lead singer to replace Jonny Santos, who left the group earlier in the month over "musical" differences.
Interested parties can send packages (music, photo, bio) to:
Scott Koenig
King Artist Management
N Kings Rd # 102
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Or you can e-mail the material to: Spineshanksinger@aol.com
Summary/Misc
Daily Reviews
Metal Judgement has a bunch of new reviews:
- Iced Earth ‘The Glorious Burden’
- Stampin’ Ground ‘A New Darkness Upon Us’
- Meatjack ‘Days Of Fire’
- Tidfall ‘Nucleus’
- Rune ‘The End of Nothing’
- Revenge ‘Triumph.Genocide.Antichrist’
- Until the End ‘Let the World Burn’
- Torman Maxt ‘The Foolishness of God’
- Death by Stereo ‘Into the Valley of Death’
- Pacifier ’Pacifier’
- Cream Abdul Babar / Kylesa Split
- Kreator ‘Live Kreation: Revisioned Glory’ DVD
- Superjoint Ritual w/ Hekill Three & Pumpjack - Concert
- Exodus ‘Pleasures of the Flesh’ - Classic
- Beyond Therapy - Demo
- Divine Lust - Demo
- Militia - Demo
- Driver 13 - Demo
Former Priest Drummer Accused of Attempted Rape
Former Judas Priest drummer David Holland has been accused of sexually abusing a 17-year-old boy who visited his home for drum lessons. Holland reportedly faces one charge of attempted rape and five counts of indecently assaulting the teenager.
Deftones Return To Studio To Record Fifth Album
DEFTONES frontman Chino Moreno announced during a co-hosting appearance on the radio show "Sounds of Sac" on KWOD this past Sunday (Jan. 11) that the band are going back into the studio this week to record their fifth album. Moreno and drummer Abe Cunningham, who co-hosted the program with Chino, also confirmed that the group's record label, Maverick Records, has opted not to release a third single from their last album, "Deftones". In addition to playing several DEFTONES cuts during their co-hosting appearance, the duo premiered a track (tentatively titled "Foreign Flag") from Chino's side-project TEAM SLEEP, to be included on TEAM SLEEP's long-delayed debut album, tentatively due later in the year.
Sauron To Record Second Album
Dutch black metallers SAURON will enter Double Noise Studio in April to begin recording their second full-length album, tentatively due in late 2004 through Neurotic Records. The follow-up to 2003's "Universe Of Filth", which saw light of day through Dark Horizon Records, will be "more mature, more diverse and most of all more angry" than its predecessor, according to the group.
SAURON have previously performed live with such acts as DESTROYER 666, CARPATHIAN FOREST, SATYRICON, IMMOLATION, and DERANGED, and are tentatively due to embark on a mini-tour with BEHEMOTH and NAGLFAR later this year. Download MP3s of two cuts off "Universe Of Filth":
Headline News
Windir Frontman, Valfar, Found Dead At 25
WINDIR frontman Valfar (a.k.a. Terje Bakken) (photo#1, photo#2) was found dead on Friday, January 16. He was 25 years old. Bakken's family are asking that speculation as to the nature of his death be withheld until the official report has been released.
Sogndal, Norway-based black metallers WINDIR (web site) had issued four albums, the last being "Likferd" through Head Not Found Records in July of 2003.
The band, who had inked a deal with Tabu Recordings early last month, were a highly acclaimed live act, having performed at such Norwegian festivals as the Inferno, Quart and Hole In The Sky.
In July of 2003, WINDIR played their first U.S. dates, which included an appearance at the Milwaukee Metal Fest, where they performed alongside such acts as ENSLAVED, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, M.O.D., NUCLEAR ASSAULT and BODY COUNT. These shows were followed by a very successful headlining Norwegian tour in the Autumn. The tour included headlining shows at both Mosh Fest and the 1001 Watt festival.
WINDIR's first album for Tabu Recordings was due to recorded at Sweden's Abyss Studio over a four-week period in May-July 2004. It is not presently clear if the rest of the band will carry on with a replacement frontman. A more detailed WINDIR biography and discography can be found at this location.
Andrew W.K. In Car Wreck
Andrew W.K. drove head-on into two parked cars while filming an episode of his new television series Friday (Jan. 16). The full-speed crash resulted in a three car pile-up. No one in or near the accident was injured, and Andrew W.K. himself is also unharmed. However, all three of the cars are completely totalled. Andrew recalls: "I don't know what happened — it was like a total psychological black out and I didn't even exist, and then next thing you know, BAM! I completely smashed up all these cars!" A police report was recorded and Andrew was sent on his way to continue filming the rest of the T.V. show. No criminal charges have been filed.
Headline News
Stratovarius Gets Singer And Contract Dispute
A Finnish lady dubbed Miss K has been enlisted as the band’s new vocalist – she is said to have a 3 octave range and according the the band’s website: “she is capable of transforming Stratovarius’ sound to something unique, something that has never been heard in metal before” – in addition, the drummer for the next album will be Anders Johansson, the brother of Jens Johansson. Meanwhile, Sanctuary Records is asking Timo Tolkki to pay back 1 Million Euros from the recording agreement advance based on their position that the agreement was for the old line up. Tolkki disagrees with their position and refuses to pay.
Crowpath Sign To Willowtip Records
Sweden's Crowpath have signed to Pittsburgh, PA based metal label Willowtip Records. Their full-length debut, "Red on Chrome", will be released on Tuesday, April 20th and will be available through the Lumberjack Label Group. The 13-track, 30 minute monster was recorded by Fredrik Reinedahl (In Flames, Burst) at Phlat Planet Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Crowpath recently turned heads with the announcement that their discography CD, "Old Cuts and Blunt Knives", is to be released on Richmond, VA's extreme Robotic Empire label on Tuesday, January 27th. The 11-track collection contains all of their previously released vinyl and compilation tracks, along with exclusive masters of two of the tracks from "Red on Chrome" to act as a preview of the masterful full-length. The disc was digitally re-mastered by Pig Destroyer's Scott Hull at Visceral Sound (Nile, Dying Fetus, Voivod) and will serve as an excellent window into the minds of these madmen.
Formed in the southern part of Sweden in 1997, the ferocious four-piece have launched a MP3 site with two preview MP3s from their upcoming CDs. "Like Flies To Flames" will be on both the collections disc and debut album. "We All Missed The First Episode" is an exclusive re-master from the collections disc.
Iced Earth And Children Of Bodom Tour US
The following areas shall be ravaged by ICED EARTH and CHILDREN OF BODOM: More...
Morbid Angel, Satyricon, Suffocation US Dates
Here are the first confirmed dates for the upcoming American Heretic Tour 2004 with MORBID ANGEL, SUFFOCATION, SATYRICON and PREMONITIONS OF WAR: More...
Read the full article at Morbid Angel.
New Blood Legacy Album Almost Finished
BLOOD LEGACY is currently working on their new album entitled 'Martyr'. The album is in post-production and so far features 9 songs of Atmospheric/Melodic Doom metal with hints of Death metal in the faster sections of their songs. Their sound is reminiscent of earlier My Dying Bride and Anathema, but also has some hints towards mid/new period Katatonia.
The album also comes wtih a new line-up, as Brad Howard is no longer doing vocals for the band. Jason McMurtrey has taken this responsibillity along with his guitar duties. We also see Jon McMurtrey still on the drums, as well as new guitarist Nathan Smith and a yet unofficial bass player. Session keys have been brought in to round out the recording of the album. Jason McMurtrey states: "Fan response has been incredible, so thanks to the die- hard fans and know we appreciate you all!! We will deliver big time for you on this release!"
The new sorrow- filled 'Martyr' tracklist: More...
Read the full article at Blood Legacy.
New Releases By Firebox
Two new releases by Finnish Doom label Firebox. First off there is the debut album of Chilean doomsters MAR DE GRISES - 'The Tatterdemalion Express'. Melodic and progressive Doom metal. And secondly the Finnish doomsters TYRANNY Mcd 'Bleak Vistae' also released. Crushing Death/ Doom in the vein of Skepticism and Thergothon.
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